Anacortes-Sidney, B.C. Reservations Now Available

Anacortes-Sidney B.C. Reservations Now Available

We are now taking vehicle reservations for the Anacortes to Sidney, B.C. ferry. Ferry service to Sidney, B.C. begins with the spring schedule on March 28. To make reservations, please visit business.wsdot.wa.gov or call 1-888- 808-7977.

On Thursday, I met with the FAC chairs to provide an update on legislative session and to answer questions and listen to comments. We discussed plans for the next round of community meetings in May. We will share information on the community meetings in an upcoming e-mail.

I had the opportunity to speak at the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon. I covered a range of topics, including an update on legislative session, the vehicle reservations predesign study, new vessels under construction and the long-range plan for the ferry system. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with organizations in our ferry served communities.

On Thursday afternoon, I testified in front of the Senate Transportation Committee on SB 2271 which raises the work limits at the Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility (EHMF). I spoke to the fiscal impacts of some of the other items in the bill, including costs associated with the predesign study for vessels, on time reporting, signage, and independent analysis of second shift at EHMF.

This afternoon, I will meet with the Commission to discuss the progress of their ferry rider survey. We hope to gain valuable information from the survey and I will provide feedback on the proposed questions and structure of the survey. For more information on the Commission survey, please visit www.wstc.wa.gov.

I would like to share a compliment that I received from a Point Defiance/Tahlequah customer last week highlighting the efforts of the crew of the Sealth.

I wanted to send you a personal note of gratitude regarding the actions of the crew manning MV Sealth (Southend Ferry) on the 10:50, February 7th run. Our dog Buddy was hit by car only an hour or so before and the local veterinarian surmised that the only way to save our Buddy was to get him to an emergency clinic as soon as possible. I rushed to make the boat and upon being loaded I immediately notified the nearest crew member of the situation and requested an early departure as time was of the essence. Charles Leahey (the crew member) put the request into the Captain. Charles empathetically informed me that an early departure was not permitted, however the Captain would nearly double his crossing speed ensuring a rapid arrival. Charles was very attentive to our needs during our short trip over and was sincerely concerned for Buddy’s well being, making the short crossing less stressful for all concerned.

I am happy to say that since we were able to get Buddy the extensive medical treatments he so badly needed that he is now home recuperating… On behalf of the entire Family…we would like to once again thank Charles and the entire Sealth crew. Our lives were nearly irrevocably altered that night, but due in no small part to your crew it turned out for the best.

David Moseley’s weekly updates are available on the WSDOT Ferries Division Web site at

www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/weekly.